Raging Bull 2 is Now The Bronx Bull

As you’ll recall, MGM was not very pleased with the prospect of a “Raging Bull 2″ running out there getting fat on the Martin Scorsese title from 1980, and had recently sued the producers of the unauthorized sequel as a result. The lawsuit has now been dropped after the produces agreed to change the title of the film from “Raging Bull 2″ to “The Bronx Bull”, which was also the nickname of boxer Jake LaMotta, the hero of the two films. Plus, the producers have now released this statement to disassociate themselves from the MGM original (as agreed upon):

The parties have amicably reached a resolution of their pending litigation, pursuant to which production of a film based upon certain events in the life of Jake LaMotta will proceed under the working title The Bronx Bull. That film is not related in any way to the 1980 motion picture entitled Raging Bull, and MGM is not associated with the film in any respect. Neither party will have any further statements regarding this matter.

While the Martin Scorsese movie starring Robert De Niro as LaMotta was a biopic on LaMotta’s life up to that point, “The Bronx Bull” will be based on an autobiography about LaMotta’s life before the events of the Scorsese movie and after, written by LaMotta himself. So it really was a direct sequel to the Scorsese movie, only MGM owns the rights to LaMotta’s life and they had nothing to do with the sequel, so was not very happy as a result.

How about that? Your life story owned by some suit-wearing dudes in Hollywood. Who would ever think such a thing could ever become not only possible, but commonplace?